05/01/2006
BIHAR
- OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT
VISION
2010
Dr. Ajay
K Jha,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
In
the state of Bihar, most of the farmers are marginal with small
land holdings or are sharecroppers / tenants; anyway the culture
of Bihar is one which is Agriculture. The un-economic size of
land-holdings defeats the very purpose of any gainful results
through farming. Therefore, there is a crying need to introduce
co-operation among these farmers which by sharing the investments
required for modern hi-tech agriculture will benefit them through
higher productivity, added revenues and better livelihood. Consequently,
this will also help in forward integration of agriculture with
value-addition through industry and ensure that the benefits of
development percolate to the grassroots level covering the poorest
among the poor.
Improved
performance of the Agriculture Sector is essential to sustain
the growing population needs, provide new jobs to villagers and
reduce their migration to urban areas. There is also possibility
of growth in economy and employment generation in the villages
by enhancing a cooperative action on infrastructure development
and also create value addition center (packaging, storage and
processing) of agriculture commodities but also surrounding agriculture,
an offshoots can be created in form of small scale cottage industries.
Role model of the project would be also to create a positive approach
towards better future, awareness, Education, health and sanitation,
information linkage and opportunity of employment and good governance.
The most important missing link in Agriculture is to sustain and
enhance the value addition productivity and improving farm management.
Lack of on-farm training to the farmers and linkage with the developed
market is greatest concern for the farmer's future growth. A major
contribution in the 60% loss of the agriculture produce is due
to the lack of proper Pre- and Post Harvest Management and also
absence of flow of changing technology to the farm gate. Hence,
there is an urgent need to upgrade the technological inputs available
to the farmers and localize the solutions to meet their needs.
In the local village agricultural markets (i.e. Haats) the prices
given to the farm produce is not enough for farmers and therefore
further investment cannot be made for advanced agricultural inputs.
Hence, to avoid these bottlenecks, it is urgently needed to ensure
better prices of farmers produce by accessing wider marketing
network by diversifying agriculture.
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